The re-recorded version of “West End girls” by Pet Shop Boys first entered the UK Official Singles Chart on November 16, 1985, at number 80. It entered the Top 40 the following week, and eventually reached number one on January 11, 1986. The single was originally released in 1984 but only became a club hit in the US before being re-recorded and re-released in late 1985, becoming a major global success. It is being celebrated by BBC Radio 2 as part of “Pet Shop Boys, Forty” from 8pm GMT this evening. The DJ presenting the show, Gary Davies, gave the hit version of “West End girls” its first play on the BBC back in 1985.
We have additional information about the making of the “A man from the future” album.
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Pet Shop Boys and Andrew Hodges’ listening and conversation event for “A man from the future” at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester is now sold out. The conversation will also be filmed and made available to watch online shortly afterwards, with further details to be revealed here in due course.
On this day 30 years ago, Pet Shop Boys released their sixth studio album, “Bilingual”. This was taken in 1996 by Andy Earl during a publicity session for “Single-bilingual”.
We enjoyed our visit to Bletchley Park with Andrew Hodges last week to film a piece about “A man from the future” and Alan Turing for BBC News. There will be further news about this project in a couple of days. Neil and Chris xx
Photo: Charlie Coletta
- It was our last concert of the summer tour last night in Esbjerg, Denmark. Wet and windy but still fun! Thanks to everyone who came to one or more of the shows! See you in 2027. xx
Photo credit: Morten Rygaard
Esbjerg. Suset Festival tonight. Last show of the summer!
The Tracey Emin sculpture by the Munch Museum on a beautiful day in Oslo.
Morning coffee in Oslo.
Pet Shop Boys’ “Se a vida é (That’s the way life is)” was released as a single on this day 30 years ago. A video for the song was filmed at the Wet ‘n’ Wild theme park in Orlando, Florida, directed by photographer and filmmaker Bruce Weber who also made the videos for “Being boring” and “I get along”.